How to Stop Converse from Slipping Off Your Kids’ Heels: 3 Simple Fixes

November 11, 2026 Fashion Shoes Juan Valenzuela 0 - Comments

Last updated: November 2026 · By Juan Valenzuela, Certified Children’s Shoe Fitter

Kids love Converse, but parents often tell me the same thing: the heel keeps slipping out. As a children’s shoe fitter, I see it all the time. Converse run long, and they have very little padding around the heel to hold the foot in place.

The good news is that you can usually fix it in a few minutes. Below are the three fixes I use most: a tongue pad, a heel-lock lacing, and the right size.

Why Converse Slip Off Kids’ Heels

Converse are one of the most popular sneakers ever made, and kids love their look. But two things about their design make them slip:

  • They run long. Most kids end up with extra room at the toe, so the heel lifts with every step.
  • They have little heel padding. Most kids’ sneakers have a padded collar that hugs the heel. Converse have a thin, flat collar, so there’s nothing to hold the heel in place.
Check out the difference in heel padding between a pair of Converse shoes and a pair of supportive everyday sneakers—this side-by-side comparison shows exactly why your child’s heels might be slipping.

When the heel slips, your child’s foot slides back and forth, which can cause rubbing and blisters on the heel.

Fix 1: Add a Tongue Pad

A tongue pad sticks to the underside of the shoe’s tongue. It fills the extra space over the top of the foot and gently pushes the foot back into the heel, so it stays in place.

Look for soft felt or leather tongue pads that you can trim to fit your child’s shoe.

How to Put a Tongue Pad in Your Kid’s Shoes

  1. Peel off the backing and place the pad on the underside of the tongue, the side that touches your child’s foot. Put the wider end toward the top of the tongue, near the opening of the shoe.
  2. Have your child try the shoe on before pressing the pad down firmly. If the heel still slips, move the pad up a little. If the top of the foot feels pressure, move it down. Once it feels right, press it down for a few seconds.

Fix 2: Use a Heel-Lock Lacing

If your child’s Converse have laces, this lacing trick, called a heel lock, holds the heel in place. It works on both low tops and high tops.

Lace the shoe as usual, but leave the top eyelet on each side open.
Thread each lace into the top eyelet on the same side, from the outside, leaving a small loop.
Cross each lace through the loop on the opposite side, then pull snug and tie.

Fix 3: Get the Right Size

The most common mistake I see with Converse is ordering them too big. For most sneakers, I recommend ordering a whole size larger than your child’s foot. Converse are different. Because they run long, order the same size as your child’s foot length. The extra length already gives your child growing room.

  1. Measure your child’s foot length.
  2. Order that same size in Converse.

Parents sometimes worry the shoes will be outgrown too fast. In my experience, they last just as long, and they fit much better.

Low Tops vs. High Tops: Does It Matter?

Both can slip, and both work with a tongue pad and the heel-lock lacing. High tops wrap the ankle, which can help hold the foot a little better, but they take longer to put on. Low tops are easier for kids to get on by themselves.

For more on choosing Converse for kids, see my guide to Converse shoes for kids.

Need Help?

Still dealing with heel slipping? Email me your child’s foot length and width, or a photo of them standing in the shoes, and I’ll help you find a fix.

FAQ

Do kids’ Converse run big?

Yes, they run long. Order the same size as your child’s foot length instead of a size up.

Where does a tongue pad go?

On the underside of the tongue, the side that touches the foot, with the wider end toward the top of the shoe.

Will a tongue pad make the shoe too tight?

Not if the shoe fits in length. If your child feels pressure on the top of the foot, move the pad lower on the tongue.

What if the heel still slips after a tongue pad and heel-lock lacing?

The shoes are likely too big. Exchange them for a smaller size.

Are high-top Converse better for heel slipping?

They can help a little because they wrap the ankle, but low tops work well too with a tongue pad and heel-lock lacing.